


Five Years Later

by cedarlover



Category: The Bold Type
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 18:33:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13957506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cedarlover/pseuds/cedarlover
Summary: Kat: a study in romance, grand gestures, and overthinking absolutely everything.





	Five Years Later

Kat’s not sure how her life got to this point. She’s hiding an engagement ring in her sock drawer. An unassuming gold band at first glance the ring is incredibly ornate and beautifully engraved upon closer inspection. She’d found it while antiquing with Adena a few weeks ago and had bought it on impulse while her girlfriend was busy looking at the assortment of bookshelves. Well “impulse buy” was not quite the right term for what she had done – while the specific purchase had definitely been impulsive the impetus was not. Kat had been thinking about this for months. 

At first, the thoughts hadn’t been so serious, instead taking the form of pretty daydreams. She imagined dozens of different scenarios, mostly grandiose gestures in faraway places; an eternal sunset surrounding her and Adena. Everything rose-colored and hazy; nothing too well defined. But the more she had considered her life, their life; the more concrete it became. On some level it was plain common sense. She and Adena had firmly established a life together. They had bought a new mattress and picked out curtains. All the domestic trimmings were there. Plus they had talked about it. Not marriage specifically, but they had long term plans. Commitment wasn’t the issue. But when does something as intangible as the promise of forever become real?

Kat knows damn well when. But she also knows she has to set it into motion; a tougher prospect than she had imagined. But she needs to do it. She needs to. She can’t wait any longer. She needs to take this next step. It’s important, and it’s the route forward. 

It’s not the answer she is afraid of; she knows Adena will say yes. The fear is rooted in the fact that she only has one chance to do this. You don’t get a second try at proposals, and she wants it to be perfect.

She’s on a search for the perfect set up. It certainly doesn’t help that there are a million different ways to propose. She’s watched so many cute videos and read so many amazing heartwarming stories. Kat’s a bit intimidated by it all if she’s being honest with herself. She just has to figure out what will work best for her, for them.   
It can’t be too cliché – she already has the sock drawer situation. It should be intimate, with just the two of them. No bands, no banners, and no surprise parties. It’s a private moment and she will be vulnerable. Ideally she would have liked to make a getaway out of it–but she also knows herself. There is no way she could wait, be on a plane with Adena, the love of her life, for hours without spoiling the whole thing. She’s also pretty sure Adena would see right through her carefully laid plans. In the end she decides to keep it classic. Close to home. 

She suggests a Saturday afternoon out on the town. There’s a new indie film showing at a theater downtown, one she knows Adena had been looking forward to it, so she surprises her with tickets. After the film, they head down the block to visit an ice cream parlor. Adena raves about the film the entire way there - chattering animatedly. Kat takes the opportunity to consider the woman before her. The one who she has decided she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Memories flash through her, the first kiss, their first real date, building a home, all the pieces coming together. Falling in love with Adena had been so easy, and while life with her could be challenging at times, it was worth it, and always would be. They’d reached the front of the ice cream queue now. Kat purchases two cones, pistachio for herself and chocolate hazelnut for Adena.   
Continuing their afternoon stroll she and Adena are now winding their way through a local park, it’s a beautiful spot and Kat considers making her move but there are just too many people, she feels exposed. She reaches into her pocket, feels the cool metal roll between her fingers. The sensation grounds her, reminds her that the moment will come and that she needs to be patient. The date continues but nothing feels quite right location wise. A light rain sets in soon after and she and Adena end up on the subway, heading home. Kat feels defeated by the day, frustrated that the right moment never materialized. 

Kat is visibly restless as they walk up to stairs to their apartment and head inside. Adena removes her coat and hijab, hanging them up by the door to dry. Kat is pacing now and Adena is clearly noticing her unrest. This wasn’t part of her original proposal plan and it’s throwing her off. She stands there, in the living room, and realizes that their entire life is around them. Nothing felt right outside, but it’s always been best when it is just the two of them. This is home, and this feels right. She realizes at this point that Adena has asked her a question, she honestly has no idea what it was. 

“Kat?”

Adena’s voice is laced with concern. She reaches for Kat’s hand and Kat turns toward her so they are facing each other. 

“Sorry Adena, I must have spaced out, what were you saying?”

Her voice is high pitched, a clearly nervous inflection. 

“You seem stressed, is everything okay?”

Adena’s gaze is piercing and Kat ducks her head, it’s time to gather her nerves and be brave. 

“I’m fine, just fine. Well. I should say I think I will be fine. There’s been a lot on my mind lately, and there is something I need to ask you.”

Kat takes a deep breath. She’d considered at great length whether or not she should kneel. Ultimately she’d decided against it. She wanted to be on equal footing.   
Kat steels herself, and meets Adena’s gaze head on, hand clenched in her pocket around the ring. She opens her mouth, she’d prepared a sort of mini speech, but nothing comes out. All her romantic ideals and the words she had chosen to express them have come to a complete stand still. She can’t say anything. She’s rooted to the spot and her eyes are tearing up. Adena gives her a look of concern. Kat collects herself, but still can’t get anything. She looks at Adena, hopes that her actions will convey her intention since her words have failed her. She takes her hand out of her coat pocket. It’s clenched into a fist; she slowly unfurls her grip, until she has the ring in between her thumb and forefingers, and holds it out in front of her, an offering and a question in one fluid motion. She sets her gaze upon her girlfriend standing in front of her; whose eyes have gone wide at the sight before her. 

Kat finds her voice. 

“Marry me?” 

It comes off as more of a question than she’d hoped; she’d wanted to go for full confident statement. But as much as she knows herself and knows Adena, there is a part of her that is scared. 

Adena is silent in return; her eyes have gone from wide to misty, she appears to be at a loss for words. She opens her mouth, and then closes it. Doesn’t say anything, she takes a quick breath, and looks at Kat, gives her a small nod and then surges forward and catches Kat’s lips in her own. It’s a tender moment. Adena pulls back and gives Kat a look that shakes her to her very core; and when she eventually does speak it’s muffled, choked with emotion.

“Kat, you’ve been so jittery all day. I wasn’t sure what it was you wanted to talk about. I’m so glad it was this.”

Kat takes the lead with the kissing now. It’s not hurried or frantic this time around. They take their time and savor the moment. When they do break apart Kat is breathless. She leans her forehead against Adena’s, a single tear rolling down her cheek. It’s been an emotional roller coaster of an afternoon. 

Kat then remembers that there is still work left to do. She holds up the ring, meeting Adena’s eyes with a sure look. Adena extends her hand and Kat slips the ring onto Adena’s finger. They share another kiss. Kat can feel the cool metal band warming on Adena’s hand and she slips her thumb over it, relishing the feeling. 

Soon enough there will be plenty of calls to make, dates to set, and options to choose. But for now the evening is theirs. To do as they wish. Their whole future is spread out in front of them ahead of them; an open and uncomplicated road. Kat looks down at Adena her heart skipping a beat as the ring flashes in the light, and she smiles, the ring really does look better now that it’s finally out of her goddamn sock drawer.


End file.
